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Stories from Buddhism: Sengan

Mu mu

PureInsight | April 22, 2007

[PureInsight.org] People do not
know where Shi Sengan was from. He cultivated diligently. He meditated
and spread the dharma and was very capable. During the reign of Emperor
Wenzuan of the Qi dyansty, Sengan cultivated on Wangwu Mountain and had
two dozen disciples following him. When he began to teach the Nirvana
Sutra, a female pheasant would crawl over to the side of a seat to
listen. When the monks were having a meal, it would go out to search
for food. No matter whether it was day or night, it would come to
listen to the dharma. But, strangely, the pheasant stopped coming
before Sengan finished volume three of the sutra. Everyone thought it
was odd. Sengan told them: "The female pheasant has already been
reincarnated as human. No need to feel strange."

On the fourth year of Wuping, when Sengan led his disciples to Yuezhou,
he said suddenly: "The female pheasant was reincarnated here." He went
into a house to summon the pheasant. A girl came out and seemed to
recognize him. They greeted each other and both were very delighted.
Her parents felt odd and invited Sengan to come inside.

Sengan asked them: "Why is she named Female Pheasant?" "She grew
pheasant hair when she was born so we named her Female Pheasant."
Sengan laughed loudly and told them about the predestination. The girl
shed tears after she realized what had happened. She asked her parents
permission to become a nun and they consented joyfully. Sengan again
narrated the Nirvana Surtra to her without leaving out any part. But
she was at a loss after volume three.